This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Modern vehicles typically include at least one seat assembly that is movable in a fore-aft direction relative to a floorpan of a vehicle. For example, a sport utility vehicle or minivan may incorporate a driver-seat assembly, a passenger-seat assembly, and a second-row seat assembly that are all movable in a fore-aft direction relative to the floorpan of the vehicle. Movement of the foregoing seat assemblies permits a user to adjust a position of the respective seat assembly relative to vehicle controls and/or to permit access to an area generally behind the seat assembly. For example, adjustment of a driver-seat assembly relative to a floorpan of a vehicle permits the driver to move the seat assembly closer to or farther away from a steering wheel of the vehicle. Likewise, permitting adjustment of a passenger-seat assembly in a fore-aft direction relative to a floorpan of a vehicle permits a user to adjust a position of the passenger seat relative to controls of the vehicle and/or to access an area behind the passenger seat to gain access to a second-row seat assembly or to gain access to a storage compartment of the vehicle.
Seat assemblies that are permitted to move in a fore-aft direction relative to a floorpan of a vehicle typically include a seat-track assembly that provides for such movement. Such seat-track assemblies typically include a first component that is fixed to a floorpan of a vehicle and a second component that is fixed for movement with a vehicle seat. The second component is selectively movable relative to the first component and, thus, permits selective movement of the seat assembly relative to the first component. Permitting movement of the second component and seat assembly relative to the first component likewise permits movement of the seat assembly and second component relative to the floorpan of the vehicle.
While conventional seat assemblies incorporate a seat-track assembly that permits for selective adjustment of a vehicle seat in a fore-aft direction relative to a floorpan of a vehicle, such seat-track assemblies do not provide an occupant with the ability to adjust a position of the seat assembly relative to the floorpan in small increments. Further, conventional seat assemblies typically require a user to move the seat assembly greater than five millimeters (5 mm) in either the fore or aft direction following release of an actuation mechanism to allow a locking mechanism associated with the seat-track assembly to properly engage and fix a position of the seat assembly relative to the floorpan. Finally, while conventional seat-track assemblies adequately fix a position of a seat assembly relative to a floorpan of a vehicle, such seat-track assemblies may experience a degree of rattling or “chucking” during use caused by relative movement between the various components of the seat-track assembly, thereby creating undesirable noise during use.